


Sprawl

by kisahawklin



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: sga_episodefic, Episode Related, Episode: s05e13 Inquisition, Gen, Team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-10-25
Updated: 2008-10-25
Packaged: 2017-10-14 07:38:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/146936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kisahawklin/pseuds/kisahawklin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They had to sleep somewhere.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sprawl

Richard hadn’t given much thought to the cell until he realized the council had adjourned for the day, and he and four other people would be (presumably) eating and sleeping in a ten foot by ten foot space with one tiny concrete bench that might be wide enough for a makeshift bed.

After they had eaten and the food was taken out of the cell, Richard watched the team. He had never been much for television, but the easy camaraderie they had was soothing, like watching sit coms when he was a kid. It wasn’t long before McKay started listing to the side, invading Sheppard’s personal space with impunity. The colonel didn’t do anything except shift slightly to support McKay’s weight better.

Teyla never faltered, but when she announced she was tired, Ronon sat down on the floor, back against the wall, and spread his legs with his knees up. She crawled in between his legs and rested against his chest.

"C’mon, Rodney," Sheppard said, shaking McKay a little. "It’s your turn to be the pillow."

McKay complained, but got up and settled next to Ronon, leaning into _him_ now, and spread his legs. Richard quickly looked away and turned his attention to getting settled onto the concrete inlet as comfortably as possible. He heard Sheppard and McKay grousing at each other and a "Get settled already!" from Ronon that ended the talking.

"Woolsey," Sheppard said, and when Richard turned around to answer, he saw that Sheppard was sitting next to Ronon with McKay between his legs. Apparently Colonel Sheppard was a pushover. Or perhaps Rodney was that skilled at complaining. Both seemed equally likely.

"Yes?" Richard asked, curling into himself a little.

"C’mere." Sheppard patted the bit of floor next to him. "You’ll get too cold lying down on the concrete like that."

Richard contemplated it for roughly three seconds before answering. "I wouldn’t want to intrude."

"And I wouldn’t want you to freeze to death before lawyering our way out of here. Seriously, come on."

Richard sat up on the bench. He brought his knees in and watched the four of them a little longer. Sheppard didn’t push, but it was clear the invitation was still standing.

Teyla had curled herself around Ronon’s thigh, and McKay was simultaneously leaning against Sheppard and half-wrapped around Ronon’s leg and Teyla. Ronon’s free arm rested lightly on Teyla’s back, and Richard saw a hand on McKay’s waist that he thought might be Sheppard’s, but it was hard to tell from the interconnected sprawl of limbs.

Richard shivered once, and Sheppard’s eyes shot over to him, with a blatant look of ‘stop being an idiot’ that wouldn’t have been out of place on McKay’s face. His reservations about getting too close to the personnel aside, a part of him wished desperately he could belong to their little club. He understood that the teams worked like this; it was never in the reports, but you only had to watch the teams coming back from missions or in the infirmary to understand there was a kinsmanship, a connection.

"Seriously, Woolsey, McKay’s a furnace. Get over here already."

Richard sighed and crossed the room to settle in against Sheppard. His report wouldn’t include how he woke up slumped against McKay’s back with Sheppard’s hair tickling his cheek, but he would note Teyla’s sharp eyes, keeping the morning watch, and the warm brush of her hand on his arm to let him know he was safe.

**Author's Note:**

> What can I say? I was distracted by the damn cell. One presumes the trial took days, and they had to eat and sleep in that cell. I’m not thinking about how they relieved themselves. I’m really not. Stop looking at me like that! Episode cap of 5.13 Inquisition, for the [Season 5 tagathon](http://community.livejournal.com/sga_episodefic/tag/!tagathon) at [sga_episodefic](http://community.livejournal.com/sga_episodefic).


End file.
